Important Haircut (Valcrist/Isabel)

[Valcrist]

Was anyone following him? Oh of course not, that's silly, he was just some random blacksmith. No one cared about the blacksmi- What was that! Oh, nothing. No one cared about the blacksmith, easily replaceable he is, any soldier would give their right arm for something to do in that cesspool of boredom. He would be willing to bet that atleast some of them had experience in metalwork, if not it was just simple repairs all the time, nothing they couldn't learn in a few days of stu-

Thump

"RAGHGLSDFKLFSD." WHO PUT A BUILDING HERE? Was it bleeding? Yeah, yeah it was bleeding. After stuttering an impossible to pronounce stream of consonants, he pulled his somewhat bloodied hand from his messed up nose. Picking his self off the ground (in which there was probably an indent on his backside with how hard he fell) and pulled some of the hair out of his eye. He had somehow walked into an inn, and boy did it hurt.

Berserker in the stars, how did he miss that? Well it was obvious, he wasn't paying attention. Also half of his vision had been cut off because of his stupid hair. You'd think he'd be used to it by now, he fought with the junk, but nooope. Somehow he managed to look like a complete fool and nearly break his nose in the process as well. Two for two Valcrist, good show.

[Isabel]

What a lovely, nonsensical book! Isabel thought as she turned to page 30 in the book she had just bought. So far, the adventures of Delgade were boring and didn't make much sense, but hey, it gave her something to do aside from hum as she went about her merry way on this fine Bernese day! Heh. That rhymed. Yep. She was in a pretty good mood this day. The shaman wasn't really sure why; it was a pretty average day. But not for her! For she was Isabel Le---

Wow that whole prodigy thing was getting repitive, even to her. And so, on the walk to get her hair trimmed (Isabel found she didn't like the feel of her hair on her neck), she put 'get a thesaurus' on her mental to-do list. And then there was that THUMP that snapped her out of her current state of total self-absorption. Either a runaway ox had decided to violently attack a cliffside or an army was hitting a city gate with a battering ram... Or...

Isabel found herself mildly surprised at the sight of the blond-haired boy who was currently bleeding from the nose. The shaman crossed her arms. "Do you attack walls often?" the shaman asked, crossing her arms in front of her book.

[Valcrist]

"Oh yes, all the time. My face is my deadliest weapon, I have been know to besiege cities with it. It caused the fall of Ostia." He grunted through his fingers as he clasped them over his poor bleeding nose. Aw, aw man.... It got all over his clothes too. Crud, this was his only shirt... He forgot to bring his others like an idiot.

"Do you happen to know where I am?" He asked in a somewhat nasally voice. Trying to throw his head in a way so the hair stayed out of his eye. It wasn't working, and it made him look like he had a twitch.

[Isabel]

Isabel smiled at his joke, and uncrossed her arms, holding the book down at her right side. "Bern border town, near Sacae. Not really sure the name of it... Don't tell anyone that, though. Now... Are you all right? Seriously. You're getting your clothes all bloody and it's just... Not good." The shaman cocked her head to the side as she thought for a moment. "You know... I bet it's your hair. Yep. That is the least practical hair cut I have ever seen... I'm surprised your face is in as good a condition as it is! What you need, my good sir, is a nice, good hair-holding device." Her hand went up and tapped hers. "Can't for the life of me remember the actual name for them right now though."

And then Isabel looked at the wall the boy had run into. The salon! Aha! Funny though; if this guy hadn't run into the wall, she probably would have passed it up. But... This gave her an even better idea as to the hair problem... "Or maybe... You could get a professional hair cut!"

[Valcrist]

"Bern border town near Sacae?" Wow, that narrowed it down. Still, the name wasn't really the important bit. If it was in Bern, it was quite likely he wasn't going to be followed. Like that mattered, mind you, no one would follow him. BUT IF THEY DID, they wouldn't go into Bern. Probably. Pinching the bridge of his nose, the blood slowed down, and made it possible to do things other then wince in pain and focus on this horrible head ringing headache pulses through his head.

Finally, he was able to get a good look at his conversational partner, a young woman from the looks of it. In her teens, probably a bit younger then Val. Blue from head to toe, entertainingly so. Never had he seen a person so devoted to a single color, she was probably the only one on all of Elibe to do such a thing. She had longish hair, that went to her shoulders, and a book in her hand. Walking around and reading a book? That's almost asking for someone to run into her, almost as much as being a Nabatan blacksmith asked for buildings to sprout from nowhere and shatter your nose.

"That, my good lady, would be a headband." He took his free somewhat bloodied hand, though the blood was proving remarkably quick drying, and tapped his forehead where a headband would be if he had one.

A professional haircut? What was she talking abou- oh, it was a salon. Well, fancy that. He ran into a salon in the middle of nowhere. It was as if the stars themselves were fed up with his hair. He felt the wrath of 100 angry mothers nagging him over his shaggy hair. "I cut this myself..." He muttered like a little baby.

"I suppose if it makes my face less battering ram shapped, it isn't a bad idea. Though I have a feeling they may NOT enjoy a customer with blood all over his face like a particularly sloppy cannibal. Even if it's my own. Well probably especially if it's my own."

[Isabel]

"Ah yes... The ever-elusive name of this thing that holds my hair in place. Which I will undoubtedly forget once again soon enough." Isabel said, closing her eyes and nodding slowly. She practically felt the young man's gaze as he looked her over, but she didn't really mind. And why should she? She was amazing. And it was high time more people recognized that fact! And then he went off about how they might not like him all bloody in their salon. "True enough. I guess you'll need to get cleaned up then... But how...?"

The shaman tapped her left foot three times, and then leaned her weight against the wall. "Well, I've got nothing. Aside from licking yourself clean like a cat, but somehow I don't think you'd approve of that idea. I guess we could look for a well? But then you'll be all wet..."

[Valcrist]

"The ever elu- what?" It's two words. Head, band. It's a band that is on your head. How could someone not remember it? The name is literally what it is. Maybe if it was something irrelevant like an Aglet, ugh, doesn't matter in the end. Still, the sigh couldn't help but roll from his chest. The blood on his face dried, because blood always seemed to dry super fast on skin for whatever reason as long as it wasn't flowing anymore.

"I don't think self grooming with my spit is gonna help things here." He groaned with a small sigh, yet another in his long list of exasperated breaths. It felt like he breathed more through sighing then actually breathing from time to time. Looking down at his ruined garb, he grumbled. "I suppose I should go buy a new shirt, this one's gotten too tight anyways..." He added with a small harumph, quietly to his self but his absent mind made it a bit louder then intended, she probably heard all the same.

"Well, thank you for your help." He waved at the blue haired girl, with a bloody hand, before quickly retreating after realizing it looked like he just ripped off a wolf's head or something. Or ate it. Ew, just thinking about that was kinda gross. "Good luck with whatever you're doing." He added, not exactly sure what to say and feeling a bit awkward all around. Now... where was that well?

[Isabel]

Isabel chuckled softly at the 'too tight' comment, but didn't comment on it. And now here the young man went, trying to get himself killed by stumbling around with that mop of hair. If he even found the wall, he'd probably walk straight into it and fall in! Well, so long as she was a LeFury, the shaman vowed to keep this man from accidentally commuting suicide! So she stepped forward. "Oh, come on! Do you really think that I'm about to let you stumble off somewhere else? Nonsense! You need a haircut... New clothes... And a bath, right? Well, I was actually just about to go get my hair trimmed. Why don't we go find a place for you to clean up, buy some new clothes, and then we can get our hake cut together! All on me, Mister Bloody Nose." The sapphire-haired girl smiled, and then swung her bag over her shoulder, in which she deposited her newly-purchased book. With that out of the way, she turned around, impatiently waving for the blond-haired boy to follow.

[Valcrist]

Wait, what? "No, it's alright really. I can take care of myself..." Despite the words that were coming out of his mouth, he didn't sound too sure of them. "But... um..." He bit his lip slightly, tasting copper and iron, something made him rethink his words. She was just standing there, waiting for him to come along. He could just walk away, right now, nothing she could do but flail her arms and yell at him and oh goodness he didn't want that, what kind of jerk just leaves people with no reason? Oh irony strike him dead, he did that all the time didn't he? Why was Valcrist such a massive jerk?

"I guess, I guess I can come along. I suppose." He was defeated, his biggest weakness exposed, which lay next to his many other biggest weaknesses. Remarkably weak willed man, can't deny requests. He needed to be more callous. "Um..." He mumbled, holding on to his arm nervously. Oh no, it was happening again. No Valcrist no! You said you wouldn't do this anymore! Stop being a wuss! He made a conscious effort to avoid the timid little calling cards he always shown, and a remarkable amount of effort to cover up his awkward words. "So, um, I'm Valcrist. Most people call me Val." It was only right to introduce his self as he strode to her, looking remarkably silly over how closely he was focusing on his self. Trying to stop any nervous tics that would betray his false confidence, but appearing incredibly nervous in the process. Whoops!

[Isabel]

"Isabel LeFury, prodigy of the Elder Magic. Pleased to meet you! May I call you Valcrist? I'm already travelling with a man who has a similar... Err... Exactly the sane nickname, actually." Isabel smiled as the man, Valcrist, conceded and agreed to come along. "Weird, isn't it? I've never met anyone before with the first three letters of their name being v, a, and l, but sure enough I meet two a little while after I leave Daryl..." The shaman shrugged, and then stepped forward. "So, I guess we should get you cleaned up first, shouldn't we... Hmm. I'll let you take care of that on your own. I should hope you don't need someone's help with that! Although... You might kill yourself on the way... Okay, fine! I'll go to the well with you!"

This was fun! Isabel grinned despite everything that had been happening, despite the fact that this Valcrist had almost murdered himself by bashing his head in... She was... Oh, she didn't know. Now... Where was that well?

[Valcrist]

"Really? Another Val? Talk about freaky coincidences, I've never met another Val in my life. Well except that one girl named Valerie, but she doesn't count." Valerie being the name of some girl who came the ranch he spent so much time at back before he traveled with Chelsea, Kelvin's parent's he recalled. She was really nice, and used to bring cookies. She liked to talk about her grandkids a lot, and used to chastise Valcrist for his long hair, but then again all mothers he's met have done that. Including Kelvin's, he was worried he'd wake up one morning bald. His mother would definitely be happy now, she finally won. "Well it's nice to meet you Isabel."

"I used to have much longer hair." He suddenly brought up, thinking he owed her some kind of explanation for his stupid haircut. Oh man, now he was calling it stupid, darn it. It was, now that he thought of it, how on earth he thought it would be acceptable is a mystery. Some artist he was, he didn't have an eye for aesthetics half the time. Then again he was the same guy who thinks a well crafted blade is just as beautiful as any woman. So maybe he was just weird. "It reached down to about... here." Bringing his bloody hand to somewhere near his lower back. "And these bangs are just what's left over, I cut it from the back here so all I did was shorten them."

"I can get cleaned up by myself, I would think." Why did she think he was just gonna walk into a sword or some- oh yeah. She had a point. "I'm usually not this bad, I just wasn't paying attention..." He muttered, sounding defeated with a sigh. Still they reached the well, without any life shattering accidents. Valcrist was able to pick it out easily enough, then again he's always had an eye for detail. "S'over there." He pointed, then chuckled. "You gonna come with me so I don't go walking off a randomly placed cliff? Or do you trust me enough to walk ten steps without getting myself murdered?"

[Isabel]

"I'd've liked to see that." Isabel said, referring to Valcrist's old hair style. "It sounds like it would have been cool! Unless you're one of those non-magic people in a fight. Your hair would have been so tangled... Oh, and travelling through forests! Twigs and stuff would have gotten in your hair..." The shaman rambled until the bloody boy pointed out the well. "Oh. Right. Not sure how I missed that... Well, first impressions aren't good, but yeah. I'll let you go do that by yourself... Especially since there is a distinct lack of randomly placed cliffs around here. Shame, isn't it?" With that, she just leaned up against the building again, pulling out her book for the wait.

When (or if) Valcrist returned, Isabel would still be in the same position, although she would have advanced further in her book.

[Valcrist]

"You have no idea. I think I brushed my hair more often then I polished my sword." And Valcrist was a man who polished his sword so very often. (oh god there's a euphemism in there somewhere I know it) "And the little twigs were the worst, good thing I traveled mostly in plain or snow. Sacae is thankfully free of forests for the most part, it's just a lot of nothing." He ran a hand absentmindedly through his now much shorter hair, but realize that it was a dumb thing to do and seriously hoped he didn't get blood in it, oh goodness he really needed to clean up right away every actions seemed atleast a thousand times more awkward and weird with him covered in the life fluid of his nose. Why did he just use the phrase life fluid?

He stumbled away, feeling awkward but then again what else was new? He strode over to the well, feeling incredibly visible, but thankful that people couldn't see his hyper visible self since there simply wasn't people to see it. If they could, he'd be, like, glowing or something. Radiating pure social ineptitude. Giving everyone near him a disease that causes them to stumble at bad times, stuttering in the middle of a sentence, and the ability to somehow turn the most normal events into some big trial to overcome. Oh and making all members of the opposite gender commit ritualistic suicide upon noticing their presence, you know, just because.

Ok, this shouldn't be hard. A well, check. He had a cloth, check. Water? Where was the water? Oh wait, in the well, that was the point of wells. Duh. Well where is the buck- oh, around his foot you say? Lovely.

Somehow, Valcrist had managed to step in a bucket filled with water, if only because hey screw you blond kid, which was the universe's preferred modus operandi. "Aw come on..." He grumbled as the heavens themselves conspired and cackled behind his back, probably give themselves high fives and talking about how badly they pranked that stooge.

So, a few minutes and one badly soaked leg of pants later, Valcrist returned. Wet, clean and looking like he had an accident. Well, if his way of urinating happened to be in his ankle, that is. Still that wouldn't stop the snickering, IT NEVER DID. Crossed arms, frown, and a frumpled stare. "I stepped in a bucket."

[Isabel]

Isabel glanced up, looking the now-clean Valcrist over. Other than the need for a haircut and new clothes, he wasn't that bad-looking. A clutz, it would seem, but at least one that looked decent! "Yeah... I noticed." The shaman snapped her book shut, and, prying herself off the wall, stared at Valcrist for another ten seconds before speaking again. "Well... What's next? Hair cut or clothes?" she asked, putting her book once again into her bag. "Actually, you know what? Hair first. At least then when we go find new clothes you'll be able to see them. You go first; I'll catch you if you fall. Backwards or forwards." Isabel smiled what she really hoped was a reassuring smile.

[Valcrist]

"Catch me if I fall forward? When you're behind me? Now how would that work?" He thought it through a few times, and the results usually ended in him being choked by his jacket, or crushing the poor girl. Which was silly because Valcrist was easily the least physically imposing person in the entire world. "Nevermind, I'll just watch my step." He chuckled. While it should be incredibly odd that he was being shepherded around like sheep by a very blue sheepdog, it wasn't really. Maybe he just resigned to his fate as the easily bossed around, or maybe he just really needed that hair cut. Oh well, didn't matter.

Opening the door, he took a look at the 'salon'.

It was... erm...

Well...

Um... It was clean. He could say that, a bit sterile really. He's never seen anything like it before, but from the perception of one who has actually seen something like it, they would probably say it resembled a doctor's office. There was a man inside, gently running a knife over another's man's face in a manner that quickly bleached the color away from the Nabatan's face. He wasn't attacking, shaving rather, but it was so... so close. With... with a knife. One wrong move and... It just made the blacksmith cover with little goosebumps of fear.

"You know what maybe we should leave he seems busy come on Isabel let's go." All in one breath, turned right on the spot and faced the sapphire haired woman behind her with worry in his eyes, and face, and body, and the general area around him. He wafted an aura of worry and hesitation and oh god the knife.